Using VPN and XWin32 to connect to the undergraduate machines from home

The following explanation of how to set up XWin32 and VPN to be able to connect to CSE machines was written by Michael Buckley, and edited slightly by Carl Alphonce and Adrienne Decker.

Please note that these instructions have changed slightly from previous semesters. The old instructions will still work (for now)

NEW - logging in from home if you have a Mac (see below)

Logging in from home:

Download and install two programs from http://wings.buffalo.edu/computing/software/download/win/index.htm :

* UB-VPN
* X-Win32 (X terminal application)

Step 1: Install and run the VPN Client
* It needs to be "unzipped"
* It has a Setup program that installs it to your computer.
* Run the "VPN Client"
* Select off-campus if you're off, on-campus if you're on, then "Connect"
* It will ask for your UBIT name and password.
* Once the remote peer is connected, you're in.

Step 2: Install and run the XWin32 Program.
* It needs to be "unzipped"
* It has a Setup program that installs it to your computer.
* Run XWin32
* Make sure a blue "X" appears in your lower right icon tray.

Step 3: Start a session under XWin32
* Right-click on the blue X
* Move cursor to "Sessions", then "UBUnixSSH"
* You should get a pop-up window
* For Host, type in yeager.cse.buffalo.edu
* Type in the username and password you would use in Baldy 21.
* Hit OK and wait for the terminal. It may take a minute or two.
* To test that you have full graphics capability, type dclock.

You now have slow but identical capability to your lab computer (except for running Eclipse - you do not want to run Eclipse over this type of connection. You are better off to install Eclipse locally on your machine. Please refer to instructions on the Resources page for this).


For Mac users:

Download and install the UB-VPN for Mac from: http://wings.buffalo.edu/computing/software/download/mac/security.htm

Step 1: Install and run the VPN for Mac Client
* It has a Setup program that installs it to your computer.
* Run the "VPN Client"
* Select off-campus if you're off, on-campus if you're on, then "Connect" (icon in upper left)
* It will ask for your UBIT name and password.
* Once the remote peer is connected, you're in.

Step 2 for non-graphics use: Log in using the default Mac Terminal program
* Go to Applications/Utilities/ and start up the Terminal program. This is a full Unix terminal.
* At the prompt, type: ssh username@yeager.cse.buffalo.edu (substituting your UB-IT name for username)
* Type in your password when requested. You now have a TEXT-ONLY Unix session.

Step 2 for graphics use: Log in using an X11 terminal
* Install X11User.pkg on your MAC OSX installation disks (usually the final disk in the set that came with your computer)
Note: MAC OSX 10.4 (Tiger) users will have to user the X11User.pkg that came with the computer installation disks.
Earlier MAC OSX users (10.3.0 thru 10.3.9) can get it here: http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/x11formacosx.html
as well as the installation disks.
* Start up the X11 program. A terminal window will appear.
* At the prompt, type: ssh -X username@yeager.cse.buffalo.edu (substituting your UB-IT name for username)
* Type in your password when requested. You now have a GRAPHICS-CAPABLE Unix session.
* To test that you have full graphics capability, type xeyes